


"Okay. Go."

by missdibley



Series: The Red Nose Diaries [28]
Category: Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, London, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 13:19:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5587144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom and Carmen get cozy at home as they spend the last week of the year together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Okay. Go."

**Festivus**

Tom returned home from his morning run only slightly out of breath, kicking off his shoes and dropping his keys in a bowl as he stumbled through the door. He jogged up to the bathroom for a shower, taking the stairs two at a time. Tom stopped in the bedroom first so he could check on the nest of pillows and blankets that lay in a heap on the bed.

A plush mouse rolled off the mattress when Carmen, the occupant of the nest, shifted in her sleep. Tom plucked the stuffed animal off the floor, and tucked it in among the pillows. His beloved’s head was covered by the duvet, but a few stray locks of hair managed to escape. He thought he heard her say something.

“Darling? You up?” Tom crouched by her side. Carmen wriggled, but still she slept.

“That’s not how the Force works,” she murmured.

Tom shook his head, and was about to go but she spoke again.

“Mmmm. I need a pilot… escape now. Hug later. Poe Dameron… you’re, you’re my only hope. Can you fly a TIE fighter? What else can you do? Oh I bet you can…”

Tom sat on the floor next to the bed, waiting to see what she’d mutter next.

“Can I try on your helmet? I usually go for taller guys but you’re so cute, Poe. Lemme touch your hair…”

Something in the tone of her voice made Tom suspicious. He leaned forward and pulled down a corner of blanket. Carmen burst out laughing when their eyes met.

“Mornin’.” She covered her mouth as she yawned.

“Still dreaming about Oscar Isaac, are you?” When Carmen nodded eagerly, Tom laughed. “Should I be worried?”

“Of course not, dear.” She reached out to brush her fingers along his jaw, smiling tenderly at him. “But if, say, Oscar appeared in my stocking on Christmas Eve, I would not be op—”

“Brat!” Tom jumped up, straddling Carmen on the bed. Bouncing on his knees, he made the bed shake while he tickled her around the waist. His cackles were met with squeals of delight.

“No!” Carmen yelped when Tom slid her t-shirt up a few inches then bent down to blow a raspberry onto her stomach. “Hahahahahahahahaha! You’re playing dirty! Stop!”

Tom stopped suddenly, flopping down on top of Carmen so she was trapped. “There, Button. I stopped.”

She pressed her nose into the crook of his neck and inhaled. “Good run?”

“Yeah,” murmured Tom. He sighed in contentment when Carmen ran her fingers through his hair. “I’d forgotten how much I liked to run in this weather. Cool, A little rainy. Perfect.”

“Do you miss Oahu? How was running there?”

Tom shrugged. “I ran at the gym, mostly.”

“Well, that sucks.” Carmen kissed his cheek. “All that sand, and surf, sexy hula girls. A nice rental house practically on the beach. You all tan in a pair of tiny shorts.”

“Oh Button…” Tom looked at her sheepishly.

“And your guitar. I bet all the sexy hula girls loved it.” Carmen arched her eyebrow at him.

“Who are these sexy hula girls you keep talking about?!”

“Weren’t they just, I dunno, falling out of coconut trees right into your lap? Getting you lei’d…”

Tom rolled his eyes. “It’s too early in the morning for a pun, dear.”

Carmen giggled. “Admit it, baby. You and Jordan aren’t making another King Kong movie but are, in fact, remaking the Elvis Presley classic _Blue Hawaii_.”

Tom raised his head and looked at her in amazement. “Who told you?” He curled his upper lip, then began to swivel his hips against her. “Feel that, darlin’? That’s the king dancing up on you.”

“More like the court jester,” muttered Carmen. “Yet I’m the one feeling like a fool…”

Tom groaned as he slid his hands up under her shirt again, running his fingers over her breasts. He kissed her, his tongue snaking into her mouth. She arched her hips off the bed, pushing her knickers down as Tom worked off her shirt.

“Call me whatever you want,” she said dreamily. “Just as long as you keep waking me up like this.”

* * *

**Christmas Eve**

“That was lovely, don’t you think?”

Carmen looked at Tom, then squeezed his hand reassuringly. They were sitting in the back of a black taxi, heading home from dinner with Tom’s father, his sisters, and their families. Despite the late hour, and the fact that they were expected at Tom’s mother’s house early on Christmas morning, Carmen was feeling energized.

Tom nodded slowly. “Of course, Dad had to ask about the business stuff. As if I had anything to do with how much money my movies make.”

“I think he’s just worried. No, that’s not quite right.” Carmen looked down at their hands, which were clasped in her lap, then back up at him. “I think he trusts that you know what you’re doing. He just needed to hear you say it.”

Tom smiled. “Is that what he said to you? When he pulled you aside before pudding?”

Carmen blushed. “Um, not quite.” When he began to frown, she smiled. “No, it was fine. He just wanted to know more about me. More about my childhood, education, work.”

“He wanted you to run down your CV?”

“Not quite. He, ah, wanted to know what my intentions are.” Carmen bit her lip.

“What?!”

“I told him we’re, you know, serious. We’re in love.” She shrugged. “We live together. I work here. But he asked me something.”

Before Tom could ask her what the question was, the cab stopped. They were home.

He paid the fare while Carmen let herself in. She held the door open for Tom, who took her coat once she closed the door behind him. Before heading up to bed, they cozied up on the couch to look at their Christmas tree. The colored lights that blinked on, then chased around, the tree were the only lights on in the house.

“He asked if it hadn’t been for me, would you have come?” Tom looked at Carmen, whose head rested on his shoulder. She kept looking at the tree, and did not face him.

“More like, did you ask me to move here just for you. And before I could say anything, he said he thought it would be unfair of you to do that to me.”

“Because my work takes me overseas. Away from home. Away from you.” Tom closed his eyes and kissed her on the forehead.

“Yes.” Carmen nodded. “That’s what he said.” When he began to grumble, she reached up and tapped the tip of his nose. “It was said more out of concern, I think.”

“Please tell me he didn’t bring up…”

“Baby, he did.” She looked up at Tom and smiled ruefully. “The others. The ones who came before.”

“Why?” Tom looked cross at the thought of his father daring to discuss something so private with Carmen. “Why would he do that?”

“Love,” Carmen said tenderly. “It’s just… we were talking about work, mine and then his, and then I was interrogating him about pharmaceutical patents. And this was all before we went through my favorite healthcare start-ups back home. We sort of geeked out on medicine and tech.” She blushed when Tom chuckled. “Which is just a way of saying, he said it was nice to be able to talk about this stuff with me. And then he said I should come work for him!”

“Ha!” Tom looked pleased. “But that still doesn’t explain how you got on the topic of my past.”

“I’m getting to that! It’s not that the others weren’t without their merits. It’s just that, he liked that I was a civilian. Not in the business. And…” Carmen kissed him. “He liked that I seemed to be grounded. Serious.”

Tom nodded. “Grounded. I like the sound of that.”

“Me too,” replied Carmen. “And as for the others? My, ah, predecessors? He mentioned a couple of them but I managed to steer him to something else. I wanted to say it was just between you and me, but I didn’t think he’d take to that so well. Instead, I said I never met them or knew them, so I didn’t feel comfortable discussing them. They were in the past.”

“They were.” Tom hugged her tightly, then kissed her ear. “They are, and always will be.”

“I know.” Carmen kissed his hand. “And we’ve already discussed the past, you and I. The girls who came before me. They didn’t work out. Thank God! I mean, imagine if they had! It wouldn’t be me curled up with you like this, but that big titted…”

“Carmen!” Tom laughed. “Be nice!”

“Or the one with all that hair and the teeth that looked like Chiclets…”

“God, I love it when you’re jealous.” Tom nuzzled her cheek.

“I know you do. Jerk.” She nipped at him. “Look. He’s your dad. He loves you, and he’s concerned. In fact, he sounded almost like my mother when I told her about you.”

“Am I ever going to meet her?”

“Not if I can help it,” Carmen said fiercely.

“Honestly, Button, how bad can she be?” Tom pleaded. “What could be the issue?”

“Um, her only daughter moved to a foreign country to shack up with a white boy while all three dozen of her perfect Filipina nieces are married to nice Filipino boys and having adorable Filipino babies.” She shivered. “I’m surprised she hasn’t already called for an exorcist, for you are clearly the devil, to come here and take me back to Chicago.”

“So why hasn’t she?”

“Simple,” chirped Carmen. “I told her if she tried to pull that shit, the only grandchildren she could count on would be a herd of ill-mannered cats.”

“Of course you did.” When Tom smiled at her, she smiled back. “Ill-mannered cats…”

“I mean it! Look, we’re grown-ups. Public tantrums and idle threats to Sienna Bitchface Miller notwithstanding, I am a functional adult. I earn a decent living and support myself. I can change a flat tire, unlike _some_ people…”

“Hey!” Tom protested. “I can change a flat.”

Carmen snorted. “Watching a couple of YouTube videos while you goof around with your bike repair kit doesn’t count, Cambridge.”

Tom pushed his lip out.

“Oh don’t you pout at me. I’m not finished speechifying, sir. Where was I? Oh yes. I can administer first aid, and figure out mass transit in strange cities. I can look after myself. I just happen to be in love with a very kind man whose rather unusual and successful career takes him away from home for long periods of time.”

Tom hugged her tightly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Carmen took a deep breath. “Listen, the time apart, it isn’t exactly ideal. But we make it work as best we can. We’re figuring it out. Enjoy the time we do get.”

“Is that what you told Dad?”

She nodded. “Something like that. Perhaps a bit more prosaic, so I didn’t sound so romantic. I told him to be concerned all he wanted about you, but he didn’t have to worry about me.”

“Did he accept that?”

“He said he’d think about it.” Carmen gently kissed Tom’s ear. “And then he asked me if I wanted to see pictures of you as a boy.”

Tom looked at her in confusion. “I thought Mum had already shown you those.”

“Oh, sure.” Carmen looked at him slyly. “The baby pictures. You all curly headed, in short pants, marching around the garden with Baloo tucked under your arm. Adorable. But your dad? He just happened to have a nice batch from your first year at Eton.”

“Oh god…” Tom blushed then tried to avoid her gaze. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“Like what? Like a woman who was absolutely slayed by pictures of 14 year old Tom in his school uniform?” Carmen clucked her tongue. “Those tails!”

“Dear, try to sound less like a pervert if you can help it.”

“Hush!” Carmen closed her eyes. “I’m trying to picture 16 year old me…”

“I keep forgetting you’re older,” Tom mused.

“Put those cougar fantasies away, sporty.” Carmen retorted. “Now back to 16 year old me and 14 year old you.”

Tom grimaced. “Baby fat, spots. My hair was a mess. And let’s not forget the teeth.”

“Glasses, over-plucked eyebrows, this weird wedge of hair from when I tried to cut bangs, legs always bruised from playing field hockey…” Carmen counted on her fingers as she went down the list. She peered down at herself. “And the less said about my fat ass…”

Tom hugged her tightly. “I love your arse.”

“I know you do. And, after so many years, I love it, too.” She snuggled into him.

“Good. Now if madam would be so kind as to accompany me upstairs so I can show her how much I love her ass instead of just telling her?”

Carmen kissed the crook of his neck. “Of course. Just as soon as you bust out those tails…”

“Car…”

“And I put on the private school uniform that Annie got from my storage unit in Chicago and sent to me last week.”

Tom leapt up, barely giving Carmen a moment to get to her feet before he grabbed her around the waist and steered her upstairs.

* * *

**New Year’s Eve Eve**

The first time Carmen squealed into her pillow, it was adorable.

The fifth time she did it? Annoying

As for the thirtieth time…

“Soul-crushing.” Tom sat on the sofa, feigning despondence while Carmen sat cross-legged on the floor beneath him. “Must you make that noise _every_ time they’re on screen?”

“It’s not every time!” Putting down the remote, Carmen stood up and placed her hands on her hips. She wore black leggings and Tom’s blue cable-knit jumper, which matched the wool socks she wore on her feet. Exasperated, she narrowed her eyes.

“Come on, dude.” She waved an arm at him. “I’m not going to bicker with you from here.” Without waiting for an answer, Carmen made herself at home in Tom’s lap.

“Excuse me, madam! Using your lovely body to persuade me.” Tom cried. “If we’re going to have a spat, you can stand there in your corner, and I’ll sulk in mine.”

Carmen shook her head, then ran her thumb over his lips. “No, sir. If we’re going to talk about your whining, then I will do it from the comfort of your lap.”

“No fair.” Tom nuzzled the crook of her neck. “Brat.”

“It wasn’t every time, Tom.” Carmen kissed the top of his head. “Just the times that were, you know, extra athletic.”

“They’re strippers, dear, not footballers,” replied Tom.

“But they’re not strippers! It’s like what Big Dick Richie said when they got to Savannah — they’re ‘male entertainers’”. She gave him the tiniest of smirks. “But not, like, the way that you are a male entertainer.”

“Harumph.” Tom clenched his jaw, but his eyes sparkled when he looked at her.

“Although.” Carmen looked thoughtful “Maybe you are that kind of entertainer.”

“Meaning…?”

“The love scene from _Crimson Peak_.” Carmen kissed him. “The BBC drama trailer with the _Night Manager_ clips.” She kissed him again. “Those possibly illicit pictures of you sunbathing in _High-Rise_. Could you check with Luke, see if there’s a British version of _Magic Mike_ in the works? It could be a sweatier, more muscular update of  _The Full Monty_!”

Tom pulled her closer, nibbling at her lips until they parted so he could kiss her deeply. Carmen tried to pull away but he was insistent.

“Baby…” she whispered when they took a breath together. “I’m trying to tell…”

Tom cut her off with another kiss. When he broke it, Carmen pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. She became aware that he was murmuring to her, speaking so softly that despite their closeness she couldn’t make them out. Not at first, anyway.

 _“I have lain in water warm as milk, soft as silk, while around me played a host of dolphins. I have met a thousand animals and seen a thousand wonderful things… but_ — _”_

Tom peered at Carmen when she sat up and looked him in the eye. He continued to recite:

_“All this I did without you. This was my loss.”_

Carmen’s eyelids fluttered shut as her lips turned up in a smile. Tom’s eyes never left her face.

_“All this I want to do with you. This will be my gain.”_

_“All this I would gladly have forgone for the sake of one minute of your company, for your laugh, your voice, your eyes, hair, lips, body, and above all for your sweet, ever surprising mind which is an enchanting quarry in which it is my privilege to delve.”_

“You know, I can’t watch the _Letters Live_ video of you reading that.” Carmen sniffed, then wiped a tear from her cheek. “So no fair springing it on me now.”

“Button, if I didn’t…” Tom chuckled. “I don’t think Channing Tatum could pull that off.”

“Snob.” Carmen kissed him.

“I’m your snob.” He sighed with contentment when Carmen hugged him. “You give the best hugs.”

“Yeah. But I can’t properly take you in my arms. Either they’re too short, or yours are _far_ too long.”

Tom brought his hands to her waist and tickled her. When she wriggled loose, he took her hands in his.

“Button?” He pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Could you get the snowglobe?”

“What?” Carmen frowned. “But we were having such a nice makey-outy moment here.” She looked down at her chest. “I’m even wearing The Blue Jumper of Extreme Snogging!”

“Yet no Wolford thigh high stockings.” Tom wiggled his eyebrows at her.

“You dork!” She pushed at his chest gently. “I mean, you were _probably_ gonna get laid!”

“Sorry. It just, I thought I saw it leaking the other day, and I was worried it broke. Could you?”

“Oh fine.” Carmen got to her feet. “You look like you’re on the verge of begging, and you know what a sucker I am for that.”

She walked to the bookshelf, stopping to turn on the lights on the Christmas tree. Carmen picked up the snowglobe to get a closer look.

“Tom?” She peered at it closer. “I don’t know what happened, but it looks like something got in there with Baloo and Boh. Okay, now the glitter is settling. It looks like a ri—”

Carmen’s voice caught in her throat when she saw the ring, floating around in what looked to be a bubble.

“Careful you don’t drop it, love.” Tom spoke in a hush as he came to stand behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he took the snowglobe and turned it over in his hands. He removed the stopper in the base, kissing the top of Carmen’s head when she reached in to retrieve the clear plastic ball that contained the ring.

Tom gave her a moment to look at it, closing the snowglobe and replacing it on the shelf. Before he could get down on his knees, she grabbed him around the waist and buried her face in his chest. When he brought his hands up to the nape of her neck, she looked up.

“Hello.” Carmen sniffed.

“Why are you crying?” Tom kissed the top of her head.

“I’m allergic to old books.” She laughed when he kissed the tip of her nose.

“Carmen.” When Tom began to lower himself to the floor, she shook her head. “What is it?”

“I just…” She looked around the room, then back at him. “I don’t want you to kneel. I don’t want to look down at you.”

“It’s traditional, you know.” Tom kissed her hand. “And I am just a little old fashioned about some things.”

“If you’re going to get down on one knee, I will too.” Carmen looked at the hardwood floor. “Or I’ll sit in your lap.

They walked slowly back to the couch, hand in hand. Tom took his seat again, shifting as Carmen joined him. It was then that she remembered the ring, still rattling in its protective bubble, in her hand.

She held it up on the flat of her palm, holding her breath as Tom took the bubble and opened it carefully. Carmen didn’t look at the ring, she just looked at him. When Tom slid it onto her left ring finger, they took a deep breath together..

“Carmen.”

She blinked slowly, then smiled, almost to herself. “Thomas.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Carmen kissed him firmly on the lips. “I love you very much.”

“I know.” He laughed when she nipped at his jaw. “I love you very much, too.”

“I want you to know, Tom, that moving here was the best decision I’ve ever made.” She leaned in to kiss him again.

“Thank you, Button,” whispered Tom. “I wonder, though, if it might actually become the second best decision you’ve ever made.”

“What would be the first best, love?” Carmen tried not to sound so shaky, but she couldn’t help it.

“If you would…” Tom began. He took another deep breath, then kissed her. Another hug, and he was ready.

“Carmen.” Another breath, another hug. “I love you.”

She hiccuped. “Sorry. I must be nervous.”

Tom smiled. “ _You’re_ nervous?! Why would you be nervous?”

“I… I have no idea.”

“Don’t be nervous. Please.”

Carmen nodded. “Okay.”

“Ready, love?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “I just… I need a moment.” When she opened her eyes, she had to blink back a few tears. “I just need to think about how good everything is right now.”

“Of course.” Tom kissed her cheek.

Carmen looked around the room, which was illuminated by the lights on the tree and the dim light of the setting sun. Her books were finally unpacked, and on the coffee table was a birds nest she had brought from Chicago. Her keys were nestled in the bowl by the door just next to his. When she felt Tom’s lips on her neck, she turned to look at him.

He had the look on his face. The expression he wore the first time he saw her, wonderment and curiosity and recognition all at once. The stubble on his jaw and chin was fuzzy to the touch, and his bottom lip quivered slightly. His eyes were wide and wet with tears.

She hugged him as tight as she could then drew herself up so she could look at him properly. Nodding, Carmen took Tom’s hand in hers.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Go.”


End file.
